Word Duels: Competition For High School Wordsmiths

May 1 @ 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm

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Jackson Hole Writers is excited to partner with the Center for the Arts’ Carrie Richer and with poet and Journeys School teacher Matt Daly to orchestrate a second teen “poetry slam.” For 2018 we have rebranded it: Word Duels, so that non-poets can participate as well. To that end, we are inviting high school age students from every campus in Teton County to sign up as soon as possible. English teachers at the schools know about this event and they would be good people to reach out to. We will be posting an event notice on Facebook in a couple of weeks with more details.

Word Duels is set for 4:30 p.m. on May 1 in the theater lobby at the Center for the Arts. We would love to have an appreciative audience of students, teachers, parents and interested writers in the community join these brave young writers. Each of the participants will need to have three pieces, each no more than 3 minutes (we will eliminate transgressors), and the work can be poetry, fiction, nonfiction, whatever. No profanity. No racial slurs. No sexism. Please.

This year’s emcee will be Kjera Griffith from Laff Staff. Last year she premiered as a judge, but we are moving her into this new role. Judges as of March 25 are writer and performer Andrew Munz and poet Connie Wieneke. There will be a third judge as well. JHW’s go-to person is Cassandra Lee, who judged last year, but has a different key role (as yet to be announced) for this year.

Organizers are still working out the format for the Word Duels, but there will be elimination rounds and lots of cheers for the performers and boos for the judges. And some fun turn-arounds to keep it lively.

Prior to the actual competition there will be some sessions with students at their schools to help them get their moves down. More details as we work out the kinks. Stick with us. Come to this. Bring your noise-makers.

And did we mention prizes? Sara Flitner is donating a VIP backstage ticket to Angelique Kidjo on May 10. We adults are so envious! The Jackson Hole Writers will be offering a scholarship to the June 28-30 conference. Other cool and wacky prizes galore. Someone might end up with the Viking helmet this year. The winner left it behind. What? Someone will have to wear it!